North Carolina's Guide to Sports Betting on March Madness
The Tar Heel State is positively dripping with college basketball history – so it should surprise no one that North Carolina is expected to see a tornado of NCAA betting activity when the state formally adopts online sports betting March 11.
Six North Carolina betting apps will go live on the Monday of major conference championship week, where some notable college hoops programs in the nation will be jockeying for high seeds ahead of the upcoming March Madness – while others will simply be trying to survive. Part of that jockeying will be who can offer the best North Carolina sportsbook promos.
We're here to help enhance your North Carolina sports betting experience by offering up our list of the best sports betting apps when it comes to making the most of your March Madness wagering experience.
Sportsbook 🏆 | NCAAB Odds 🔢 | Prop Markets 🏀 | App UX 📱 | SBR Rating ⭐ | Promo/Bonus 💰 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
DraftKings | 4.5 | 5.0 | 5.0 | 4.7 | Up to $300 in bonus bets |
FanDuel | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.8 | Up to $300 in bonus bets |
Caesars | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 4.7 | Bet $1, get 7 100% profit boost tokens |
bet365 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.6 | Up to $1,100 in bonus bets |
BetMGM | 4.5 | 3.5 | 4.0 | 4.6 | Register and get $200 in bonus bets |
Fanatics | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 4.1 | Up to $1,000 in bonus bets (10 x $100) |
DraftKings North Carolina
North Carolina bettors have to start somewhere – and they won't find a better place to kick off their sports betting journey than with DraftKings.
In addition to offering up one of the best interfaces in the industry, DraftKings provides the substance to match its iconic style, serving North Carolina sports bettors a veritable buffet of March Madness betting options both leading up to and during the tournament.
DraftKings offers moneyline, total and spread wagers for every March Madness encounter, while its NCAA prop markets are robust and well-priced relative to the competition. And we give it an ever-so-slight edge over rival FanDuel by virtue of simply offering more markets.
You don't get to be one of the top dogs in the legal sports betting industry without having a product that gives bettors everything they're looking for – and North Carolinans will be glad they added DraftKings to their mobile devices.
FanDuel North Carolina
North Carolina sports bettors who opt for FanDuel over DraftKings will find themselves quite satisfied with their choice, even though it's No. 2 on this list.
To many, FanDuel's interface is actually the superior of the two, with a simple but effective layout and a winning color scheme. And it gets so much better from there, with FanDuel's NCAA offerings among the most comprehensive of any legal sportsbook in the state.
The originators of the Same Game Parlay also offer the most flexibility and creativity when it comes to bettors setting up their own SGPs, which is a massive feather in FanDuel's cap when you consider just how incredibly popular these bets are – particularly around March Madness. And FanDuel's odds are simply better than the competition.
FanDuel might not have quite as many markets as DraftKings, but it has everything else a North Carolina bettor will want to make the busy college basketball season even better.
Caesars North Carolina
Caesars has built a global reputation as one of the best gaming providers out there – and North Carolina bettors could certainly do worse than start their journey with this sportsbook.
Navigating the app is both aesthetically pleasant and refreshingly simple: You can lock in your college basketball bets with just a few clicks. And Caesars has always ranked among the legal online sportsbook leaders when it comes to first-time deposit bonuses.
If we have to pick nits here, it's the fact that Caesars' March Madness prop odds aren't quite as generous to North Carolina players as FanDuel or DraftKings – and while line shopping isn't necessary everyone's cup of tea, those additional cents of value add up in the long run.
Still, it's a minor quibble for an otherwise peerless sports betting app, one which boasts both the worldwide reputation and positive in-app experience North Carolinans will appreciate.
bet365 North Carolina
The expansion of bet365 into more American markets is a great thing for the industry, as this is a high-quality sportsbook that has plenty to offer players of all skill and interest levels.
Navigating the app is a breeze, and you'll find a decent number of March Madness betting markets here. Odds for both main and prop markets are fair relative to the competition, while the inclusion of bet boosts and enhanced SGP odds are even more enticing.
The biggest knock against bet365 is the interface, which is a little on the bland side. Limits on boosts will frustrate players interested in playing for higher stakes, while those hoping for a vast menu of prop options will be better served at a higher-rated sportsbook.
bet365's global renown is well-earned, and for players in North Carolina, there's a lot to like about this well-rounded British sportsbook.
BetMGM North Carolina
The legendary lion should see plenty of attention from North Carolina sports bettors come March Madness time, and with good reason. BetMGM's place among the best sports betting sites is secure thanks to a host of user-friendly features.
Its revamped mobile wagering platform has earned rave reviews for both aesthetics and overall responsiveness, putting it on par with the industry's other heavy hitters. It offers plenty of March Madness markets, though not quite as many as the top competition, and their quality of prop odds rank right up there with FanDuel.
Where BetMGM ultimately falls short is with the number of player prop markets it offers. There's also very little in the way of BetMGM-exclusive prop options, where some of its competitors provide markets or betting opportunities unique to those sportsbooks.
You can't go wrong by selecting BetMGM North Carolina to make your March Madness bets, even if their selection of prop markets isn't quite at the level of the competition.
Fanatics North Carolina
Fanatics is the proverbial new kid on the sports betting block – and while we're not ready to crown it as an elite option in North Carolina, there's certainly plenty of potential here.
Between a strong welcome offer, an easy-to-use interface and a powerhouse brand, Fanatics has all the tools to make an immediate splash in the Tar Heel State. And we haven't even mentioned FanCash, which puts money back in bettors' pockets they can use toward Fanatics merchandise, including sports apparel.
If there's one thing working against Fanatics, it's the newness of its sports betting product. The UI is solid, but unspectacular, and while the sportsbook does have a nice selection of March Madness prop markets, it's not quite at the level of FanDuel or DraftKings.
Fanatics is well worth your time despite these issues, and is quite likely to see significant improvement as it evolves within the North Carolina sports betting space.